The pattern in the Bible (A Biblical paradigm) is UP IN OUT
“Up, In, Out”. This describes the great Bible pattern (paradigm) for growth in the grace and knowledge of the Lord. It is the name of a sermon by Steve Armfield given at Thornapple Covenant Church (Grand Rapids, Michigan), June 14 2009. The subtitle is: “Revelation, Reflection, Response”. I highly encourage everyone to listen to it, it is available at the church website. The Rev. Armfield bears no responsibility for any of the content of these pages, nor is he otherwise associated with them in any way. I offer my apologies as well as thanks to him.
In the Book of Isaiah we read how Isaiah looked up to a vision of God in Heaven that revealed His holiness. The vision caused Isaiah to look within himself and reflect upon his own sinfulness. God sent cleansing to Isaiah, and in response Isaiah went out in service to God. Read Isaiah chapter Six. That is the pattern of Up In Out, or revelation, reflection, response that we find throughout the Bible. We look up when we read the Bible, it is God’s revelation to us. In the Scriptures we see God in the glory of holiness, we see that He is righteous, and that He hates sin: there is no sinful thing with Him. This should make us look in to our selves, reflecting upon our sinfulness and need for salvation. This ought to cause us to acknowledge, confess, and repent of our sin. God is holy, which means not only that He has a righteous hatred of sin, but He also has a righteous love for His fallen creatures. Because of His holy love He has made a way that He might justly justify
(Romans 3:26Romans 3:26
To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus.)
us through the shed blood of His Son, Jesus Christ. By this we are washed clean of sin, justified
(Revelations 1:5Revelations 1:5
And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood, …).
Then we go out in the newness of life to do His good will, doing those works of righteousness for which we were created
(Ephesians 2:10Ephesians 2:10
For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.),
putting on the mind of Christ
(Philippians 2:5Philippians 2:5
Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus …;
Galatians 3:27Galatians 3:27
For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ),
working out our salvation with fear and trembling
(Philippians 2:12Philippians 2:12-13
Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.),
being renewed daily
(2 Corinthians 4:14-162 Corinthians 4:14-16
Knowing that he which raised up the Lord Jesus shall raise up us also by Jesus, and shall present us with you. For all things are for your sakes, that the abundant grace might through the thanksgiving of many redound to the glory of God. For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day.),
growing in the grace and knowledge of Jesus Christ
(2 Peter 3:182 Peter 3:18
But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and for ever. Amen.),
being built up in Him
(Colossians 2:7Colossians 2:7
Rooted and built up in him, and stablished in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving.;
1 Peter 2:51 Peter 2:5
Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ.)
until upon His return we see Him face to face, seeing Him as He is, and being transformed fully into His likeness
(1 John 3:21 John 3:2
Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.).
That is our only reasonable response
(2 Peter 3:112 Peter 3:11
Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness,;
Romans 12:1Romans 12:1
I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.).
The intended result is changed lives, this includes what we call worship in spirit and in truth. Worship is not only what we do when we join together in congregations. It characterizes how we live our lives (as above: Romans 12:1). We know that God is seeking worshipers to worship Him in spirit and in truth
(John 4:23John 4:23
But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him.).
The Biblical pattern of Up In Out is how we become worshipers in spirit and in truth. Paul taught us in Romans 10:17, after telling us how we may be saved by our belief in, and confession of the Lord, how that is made possible because God has sent messengers with the good news
(Romans 10:8-17Romans 10:8-17
But what saith it? The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach; That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed. For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him. For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher? And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things! But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Esaias saith, Lord, who hath believed our report? So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.)
. Paul’s conclusion is,
So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. (Romans 10:17)
The pattern of Up In Out is comprehensive because it is based upon seeing a vision of God in the Scriptures, and having a correct response of repentance and obedience to His will, and serving Him as He would have us to. This is the pattern throughout Scriptures. We read in one place,
Where there is no vision, the people perish: but he that keepeth the law, happy is he. (Proverbs 29:18)
The word, vision, is the King James translation of the Hebrew word, chazon. It means a prophetic vision, an oracle from God, a revelation. God’s word in the Scriptures provides us our vision. The pattern of Up In Out is that we look upon the vision and let it achieve God’s purposes in us. As was said, we look up by reading or hearing Scripture. And the vision we are given is Christ and Him crucified, summarized in Hebrews 2:9:
But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour; that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man. (Hebrews 2:9)
If we will “look up” and “see” Jesus in the Scriptures, we will be led of the Holy Spirit to confess our sins and to lead lives being conformed to His likeness
(John 16:7-11John 16:7-11
Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you. And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: Of sin, because they believe not on me; Of righteousness, because I go to my Father, and ye see me no more; Of judgment, because the prince of this world is judged.;
Romans 1:16Romans 1:16
For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.—the Gospel is the power of God for salvation).
That is why we speak of the Christian message as kergyma. Kergyma is a Greek word used in the New Testament. It is the preaching of a message intended to affect and change us by teaching God’s revelation to us in words we understand with our minds (Paul: five words with understanding as in
1 Corinthians 14:19)1 Corinthians 14:19
Yet in the church I had rather speak five words with my understanding, that by my voice I might teach others also, than ten thousand words in an unknown tongue.
and act on in our hearts. The point of the vision is the message, which is Christ and Him crucified, and returning, to the end that we be transformed into the likeness of Jesus
(Romans 8:29Romans 8:29
For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.)
and give Him the preeminence in all things. We look up and see Jesus as He is. That makes us to look in and see ourselves as we are, sinful, but redeemed by His sacrifice. And then we are free to go out, carrying the Christian kergyma, being co-workers with Him, and worshiping Him in spirit and in truth.
This paradigm of Up In Out is a practical principle for everything we do as Christians and as the Church. It means we always hold Scriptures before ourselves; we always refer to them. For example in a worship service it means that first we have God’s word opened to us. Then we have a time to reflect upon it. The worship following is the response. And this is why the Lord’s Supper has such pertinence for our worship services. It holds before us, in a most special way, the vision of Christ as He is in Scriptures. It is God’s work, His invention, He devised it, it is His picture for us of Christ. And that is why we say that we should prefer nothing to it.
©FH 2012